How split-ticket voters decided South Carolina’s top races

by Michael Owens

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - As election results are certified across South Carolina, state voting data reveals a clear picture of how ticket-splitting voters shaped the outcome of the state’s highest-profile contests.

A historic wave of midterm participation, paired with tens of thousands of crossover ballots, powered an unusual split decision at the top of the ballot on Nov. 3.

Historic turnout

South Carolina saw a turnout of 2,052,130 votes in the election, which accounts for nearly 60% of registered voters in the state.

It is now the highest turnout and largest total vote volume for a gubernatorial election in state history.

Split ticket among top races

A key focal point for analysts was the split-ticket dynamic in South Carolina’s two marquee races for governor and United States Senate.

On the Democratic side of the ticket, there was an 83,361-vote difference between Senate candidate Dr. Annie Andrews and gubernatorial candidate Jermaine Johnson.

Andrews was also the only Democrat in a statewide race who received more than one million votes, going on to defeat incumbent Republican Sen. Darline Graham.

A mirror trend emerged on the Republican ticket, with Governor-elect Alan Wilson picking up just over 99,000 votes more than Graham, signaling a decisive crossover among voters.

Early voting shatters records

For the first time in a South Carolina midterm election, more ballots were cast before Election Day than at polling precincts on Tuesday.

Official data shows 1,034,885 votes were cast during the state’s two-week early voting window from Oct. 19-31, representing more than half of all ballots cast statewide.

Click/tap here for more election results.

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